Chelsea won a thrilling match against Watford at Stamford Bridge on Sunday to round up a memorable season.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Thomas Tuchel’s team finished third in the league and second in both domestic cups, and they will be pleased with their performance considering the circumstances.
Due to the fines placed on previous owner Roman Abramovich, the team was unable to sell tickets for their final home games, and there was little possibility of convincing players whose contracts were set to expire to renew them.
This summer, on the other hand, promises to be lively, as several players are anticipated to exit and many new faces are slated to arrive.
Tuchel said in his post-match press conference on Sunday that he doesn’t have time for a break because he has “too much to accomplish,” referring to Todd Boehly’s upcoming takeover of the club.
The players that might depart Stamford Bridge this summer are listed below.
Antonio Rudiger is one of the players who is almost set to leave Chelsea this summer. The German defender’s move to Real Madrid is all but completed, and he offered the club’s journalists a farewell interview after the final whistle on Saturday. Rudiger played more minutes for the Blues this season than any other outfield player, and replacing him will be difficult.
Andreas Christensen: Andreas Christensen, who is thought to have accepted terms with Barcelona, is another player who has already committed to leaving the club. Throughout his 10 years in west London, the Dane has battled to hold down a starting berth, but has established himself as a regular in the last 18 months and shined during Chelsea’s Champions League triumph last season.
Marcos Alonso: Another player who might be part of the Blues’ defense exodus is Marcos Alonso, who has allegedly chosen to quit the club. Barcelona is said to be interested in signing the 31-year-old, and the player is enthusiastic about the prospect. Since his arrival in 2016, the Spaniard’s achievements have split supporters, but if he does depart, he will leave with six titles, including the Champions League and Premier League.
Cesar Azpilicueta: Club captain Cesar Azpilicueta would likely raise a few eyebrows if he left Stamford Bridge after 10 years, especially since a 12-month extension to his contract was activated last month. However, the Spaniard is said to be a target for Barcelona, who might field a back four next season that contains three current Chelsea players. Azpilicueta has made over 475 appearances for the Blues, winning every prize that has been offered to him.
Jorginho: Jorginho, an Italian midfielder, might leave Chelsea this summer. The 30-year-old joined in the same summer as Maurizio Sarri was named Blues manager, and he might be on his way back to Italy to meet up with his former boss, who now coaches Lazio.
Ross Barkley: In his 100th appearance for Chelsea, Ross Barkley scored his first goal of the season to give Chelsea victory over Watford on Sunday. He is unlikely to return to Chelsea next season, having played just 175 minutes of Premier League action so far this season.
Tuchel’s biggest concern this summer will undoubtedly be what to do with Romelu Lukaku. When he returned to Chelsea last summer, he cost over £100 million, but he has only scored eight Premier League goals this season. The striker also gave a notorious interview to Italian media in which he criticized Tuchel’s style and implied that he wanted to return to Italy, which angered the club’s supporters. The biggest challenge for Chelsea in unloading Lukaku will be finding a team ready to satisfy his salary demands, and it looks virtually clear that they will have to sell the player for a substantial loss if they are to do so.
Chelsea may now attempt to purchase and sell players when Boehly’s control of the club is finalized in the coming days. By that time, players like Rudiger and Christensen may have already left the club, and Tuchel will likely move quickly to replace them. Tuchel will also be searching for reinforcements in both wing-back positions, after injuries to Ben Chilwell and Reece James exposed their lack of depth and derailed their season earlier this year.
